Kessingland is situated on the East coast three miles south of Lowestoft. The church is dedicated to St Edmund and the parish registers date back to the Tudor times.
The first Baxter family to settle in Kessingland appears in the church registers in 1765 is the family of Robert Baxter and his wife Mary. I suspect that Robert was the base born son of Ann(e) Baxter (1701 - 1737), the reputed father being Robert Hills of Pulham St Mary, baptized 13 Mar 1729/30, Ashby St Mary (near Buckenham), Norfolk. Ann(e) in turn was the daughter of John Baxter and Susan Slade, born Tasburgh, Norfolk. Robert and Mary Baxter lived in Kirkley before settling in Kessingland, in later life they moved to Gisleham a neighbouring village.
Robert was possibly first cousins with Frances Baxter (1733 - 1794) who settles in Barnby.
MarriageRobert married Mary Drane/Dreen/Drein (1738 - 1811) the daughter of John Drane and Martha Carver. From the parish registers of Haddiscoe, Norfolk:
"Robert Baxter and Mary Drane by banns 26 May 1760"
Children Robert and Mary had the following:
| Baptized | Name | Where |
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John | Parish church of Kirkley |
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Mary | Parish church of Kirkley |
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Martha | Parish church of Kirkley |
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William | Parish church of Kessingland |
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Francis | Parish church of Kessingland |
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Honor | Parish church of Kessingland |
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James | Parish church of Kessingland |
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Mary | Parish church of Kessingland |
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Mary | Parish church of Kessingland |
| 13 May 1776 | Isaac | Parish church of Kessingland |
| 13 May 1776 | Rebecca | Parish church of Kessingland |
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Rebecca | Parish church of Kessingland |
Death Kessingland Edmund
| Buried | Name | Comment |
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Robert Baxter | Married man |
| Mary Baxter | Widow aged 78 |
Death Kessingland St Edmund
| Buried | Name | Comment |
| Aug 1772 | Baxter |
Death Kessingland St Edmund
| Buried | Name | Comment |
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Mary Baxter | daughter of Robert and Mary Baxter |
Death Kessingland St Edmund
| Buried | Name | Comment |
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Martha Baxter | daughter of Robert and Mary Baxter |
MarriageWilliam married Sarah Balls (1761 - 1833) possibly the daughter of Robert and Sarah Balls.
From the parish records of Gisleham:
"William Baxter of this parish bachelor and
Sarah Balls spinster of Carlton* married
* Carlton = Carlton Colville.
Children William and Sarah had the following:
| Born | Baptized | Name | Where |
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William | Parish church of Rushmere | |
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Sarah | Parish church of Rushmere | |
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Mary | Parish church of Rushmere |
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Hannah | Parish church of Rushmere | |
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John | Parish church of Rushmere |
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James | Parish church of Rushmere | |
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James | Parish church of Rushmere |
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Robert | Parish church of Rushmere |
Death
| When and where died - 3rd September 1838,
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| Name and surname | Sex | Age | Occupation | Cause of death | Signature, description and residence of informant |
| William Baxter | male | 73 years | Agricultural labourer | Old age | The mark of William X Baxter junr, in attendance, North Cove |
Rushmere St Michael
| Buried | Name | Comment |
| Sarah Baxter | Of Rushmere aged 74 | |
| 09 Sep 1838 | William Baxter | Of North Cove aged 72 |
Francis spent his entire life in Kessingland
MarriageFrancis married twice. His first wife Jane Huslet (d1798) died within a year of marriage. Francis second wife was Jane May (1768 - 1856)
From the parish records of Kessingland:
"Francis Baxter of this parish single man and Jane
Huslet single woman were married
"Francis Baxter widower of this parish and Jane
May single woman were married
Children Francis and Jane (May) had the following:
| Born | Baptized | Name | Where |
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Francis | Parish church of Kessingland |
| Jan 1802 |
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Mary Ann | Parish church of Kessingland |
| 1804 | Jane | Parish church of Kessingland | |
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Sarah | Parish church of Kessingland |
| 1807 | Charlotte | Parish church of Kessingland | |
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Ann | Parish church of Kessingland |
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Emily* | Parish church of Kessingland |
* Emily's details are crossed out in the parish register.
Census1841
| Dwelling - Kessingland | |||
| Name | Age | Occupation | Born in County |
| Jane Baxter | 70 | Independent | Y |
1851
| Dwelling - Kessingland | |||||
| Name | Relationship | Marital status | Age | Occupation | Where born |
| Jane Baxter | Head | w | 82 | Pauper | Westhall |
| Mary Baxter | Daughter | u | 49 | Dressmaker | Kessingland |
Death Kessingland St Edmund
| Buried | Name | Comment |
| 11 Feb 1798 | Jane Baxter | Married Woman |
| 12 Nov 1830 | Francis Baxter | Aged 63 husband of Jane |
| 19 Jul 1857 | Jane Baxter | Aged 88 |
MarriageHonor married Mathew Wright (1763-1815) the son of John Wright and Elizabeth Baldry. From the parish records of Kessingland:
"Mathew Wright single man of this parish and Honor Baxter of this parish single woman married 28 December 1792 in the presence of Francis Baxter and Robert Alabaster."
Death Kessingland St Edmund
| Buried | Name | Comment |
| 04 Apr 1771 | James Baxter | Aged 1 |
Death Kessingland St Edmund
| Buried | Name | Comment |
| Aug 1772 | Baxter |
Death Kessingland St Edmund
| Buried | Name | Comment |
| 21 Oct 1779 | Mary Baxter | Aged 7 |
Death Kessingland St Edmund
| Buried | Name | Comment |
| 07 Nov 1779 | Isaac Baxter | Aged 3 |
Death Kessingland St Edmund
| Buried | Name | Comment |
| 25 May 1777 | Rebecca Baxter | Infant |
Marriage Rebecca married Samuel Ward (1755 - 1841). From the parish records of Kessingland:
"Samuel Ward of this parish bachelor and Rebecca Baxter of this parish spinster were married 12 October 1810 in the presence of Francis Baxter and Mary Baxter."
Death Kessingland St Edmund
| Buried | Name | Comment |
| 15 Sep 1802 | Francis Baxter | an infant |
Mary Ann never married and died in the workhouse in Oulton.
Census
1841
| Dwelling - High Street, Lowestoft | |||
| Name | Age | Occupation | Born in County |
| Mary Baxter | 40 | Y | |
| William Pester | 30 | Gardener | Y |
| Mary Pester | 30 | Y | |
| William Yaxley | 30 | Shoe M | Y |
| Ann Yaxley | 25 | Y | |
| William Gorse | 50 | Cabinet M | N |
1851 - Back at home
1871
| Dwelling - Old Market Kessingland | |||||
| Name | Relationship | Marital status | Age | Occupation | Where born |
| Mary Ann Baxter | Head | u | 69 | Dressmaker | Kessingland |
1881
| Dwelling - Old Market Kessingland | |||||
| Name | Relationship | Marital status | Age | Occupation | Where born |
| Mary Ann Baxter | Head | unmar | 79 | Dressmaker | Kessingland |
| Charlotte Lambert * | Visitor | w | 73 | Dressmaker | Kessingland |
* Charlotte is Mary Ann's sister.
Death Kessingland St Edmund
| Buried | Name | Comment |
| 08 Jul 1881 | Mary Ann Baxter | Of the Workhouse Oulton, aged 81 |
Death Kessingland St Edmund
| Buried | Name | Comment |
| 11 Sep 1804 | Jane Baxter | infant |
MarriageSarah married George Goodchild (1794 -1880) the son of Thomas Goodchild and Sarah Pollard. From the parish registers of Mutford:
"George Goodchild and Sarah Baxter both single persons of this parish were married 7 October 1828 in the presence of Layers Mondham and Ann Baxter."
MarriageCharlotte married Edward Lambert (1806 -1867) the son of William Lambert and Mary Copping in 1839.
Death Kessingland St Edmund
| Buried | Name | Comment |
| 28 Mar 1831 | Ann Baxter | Aged 21 the daughter of Francis and Jane Baxter |
Census1841
| Dwelling - Cumberland Terrace, Regents Park, St Pancras, Middlesex | |||
| Name | Age | Occupation | Born in County |
| Emily Baxter | 30 | FS | N |
1851
| Dwelling - ???, St John, Hampstead, Middlesex | |||||
| Name | Relationship | Marital status | Age | Occupation | Where born |
| Emily Baxter | servant | u | 39 | Kessingland | |
1861
| Dwelling - 8 Highgate Rise, St Pancras, London | |||||
| Name | Relationship | Marital status | Age | Occupation | Where born |
| William M Binking | Head | m | 55 | Weslyan Methodist Minister of {Gochester} Place Kentish town and Mary the Chapel | Manchester |
| Harriet B Binking | Wife | m | 53 | Rockwood, Yorkshire | |
| Harriet w Binking | Daughter | u | 30 | Huddesfield, Yorkshire | |
| Caroline B Binkning | Daughter | u | 27 | Halifax, Yorkshire | |
| Emily Baxter | serv | u | 49 | Cook | Kessingland |
| Sarah A Smith | serv | u | 26 | Housemaid | Woolwich, Kent |
1871
| Dwelling - Mill Street, Mill Walk, St Johns, Hampstead | |||||
| Name | Relationship | Marital status | Age | Occupation | Where born |
| Henry L Berry | Head | m | 64 | Retired Independent Minister | Warminster, Wiltshire |
| Joseph S Berry | Son | u | 38 | ? | Mill Hide, ? |
| Emily Baxter | Cook | u | 59 | Domestic | Kessingland |
Death Kensington District
| Buried | Name | Comment |
| 1879 | Emily Baxter | Aged 68 |